Day 174/365 - Cherry Blossom Time in DC

The cherry blossom trees have started to bloom in Washington, DC. The blossoms will only last for about another week, so I decided to make the most of the clear skies and warm weather today and walk home. My path home takes me right along the edge of the Tidal Basin and through the main grove of cherry blossom trees. The trees were a gift from Japan to the United States and, although they don't actually produce any cherries, they do put on a beautiful display each year in early Spring.

If you've never seen the cherry blossoms before they are an amazing sight. I've been here ten years and they still astound me. The day I get so jaded that they stop astounding me is the day I need to turn my eyes back in and let them give them to someone else who will make better use of them. Most of the cherry blossoms are a brilliant white, but some are a light pink. They make the trees look like they're full of snow or cotton candy and then when the wind blows some of the petals pull loose and tumble and flutter along on the breeze like snowflakes made of satin.

As someone I know said: "thanks, Japan, for the trees."

(Taken with my Nikon Coolpix S200)